PETALING JAYA: DAP has announced list its candidates for Selangor, Malacca and Sarawak.

The party's announcement of its candidates for Selangor was packed with surprises, and none more so than Ronnie Liu being dropped as a candidate for the Selangor state elections.

Liu, is the state exco in charge of local government and also the current assemblyman for the Pandamaran state seat.
Selangor DAP chairperson Teresa Kok will not be defending the Kinrara state seat, and will contest in the Seputeh parliamentary seat instead.

Kok is also the senior exco in the Pakatan Rakyat state government in charge of investments.

When speaking to reporters at a press conference in the party headquarters Thursday, Kok remained mum when asked why she would give up the powerful state government position.

"This is after much discussion with the party leaders and we would also like to use the opportunity to promote new faces," she said.

She also refused to answer when asked why Liu was dropped from the line up.

"Don't ask me, ask the candidate selection committee," she said.

Kok added that 10 out of the 15 candidates for the state assembly are new faces, with seven of them former local councillors.

DAP won 13 out of the 15 state seats and all of the four parliamentary seats which they contested back in the 2008 general election.

In the list announced by party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, political analyst and DAP newcomer Ong Kian Ming will contest for the Serdang parliamentary seat, as current MP Teo Nie Ching will contest in the Kulai parliament seat in Johor.

Ong will go against MCA stalwart Datuk Yap Pian Hon, and acknowledged that he is the underdog in the contest, but would relish the opportunity of meeting the people and getting to know the area.

"I hope the voters see me as someone who would champion electoral reforms, economic and education issues," he said.

Meanwhile, Lim said that the line up of candidates was in line with the party's overall strategy.

"They are to ensure full representation and strategic to victory," he said.

Over in KUALA LUMPUR, DAP will retain most of their incumbents for the Malacca line-up, and will contest for two parliamentary and eight state seats.

With the exception of party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng's wife Betty Chew who will give up her Kota Laksamana state seat, all four current DAP elected representatives in the state assembly and one MP will seek re-election.

State party chairman Goh Leong San will be moved from his Kesidang seat with hopes of capturing the Dugong seat.

Bemban candidate N. Gandhi Rajan is the only fresh face in the state line up.
DAP also announced 13 candidates for Sarawak parliamentary seats.

Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen will defending his seat, but the other 12 candidates will be contesting for parliamentary seats for the first time.

From the 13 names, four unsuccessfully contested in the 2011 state elections, and two are women.

State DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng, will be bowing out of the elections due to health reasons, but his special assistant Oscar Ling defend his Sibu seat which he won in a by-election in 2010.